Former University of Denver assistant coach Seth Appert has signed an eight-year extension with Rensselaer to effectively take his name out of list of finalists to replace the fired George Gwozdecky, his mentor.

The 38-year-old Appert told The Denver Post on Saturday his “heart is with RPI right now, and we’re excited about the future and building and what we have done so far.” Appert was one of four finalists.

Former DU assistant Derek Lalonde of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, who succeeded Appert at Denver, interviewed Thursday, and former University of Maine standout Jim Montgomery had an on-campus interview Friday. Montgomery is currently the head coach/general manger of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Boston College associate head coach Greg Brown was scheduled to interview Saturday, but that might have fell through. Montgomery, 43, who played four years at Maine and enjoyed a 12-year professional career that included 122 NHL games, is considered the leading candidate.

Meanwhile, DU junior center Nick Shore is expected to announced his signing with the Los Angeles Kings, forgoing his senior year and becoming the sixth player in the past two years to leave college early for an NHL deal.

A quick superficial search and then they take the least qualified individual of the four applicants. All probably because a two-time NCAA Champ coach (Gwozdecky) with a decade’s straight worth of 20 win seasons wanted to make as much money as the new basketball coach. Prediction: it will be a couple of more coaching changes and more than a decade before DU hockey has another 20 win season. No more DU season tickets for me and my family, in any sport, ever again. Go CC Tigers, and Go Buffs! DU makes even CU’s AD Mike Bohn look like a pro and a genius by comparison.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.